Itergy has a lot going on. The Canada and Uk-based IT provider has been making phone calls. It’s done events. It’s even made and taken references and referrals from customers all in an effort to get the word out about the upcoming Windows Server 2003 migration deadline.
But when asked whether the company anticipates being swamped by requests for its service in the next few months, the company said no. That demand will come after.
“Everyone suddenly realizes after the fact that they’re in trouble when they’re no longer getting security patches, fixes and updates,” said Don Bauer, co-founder of Itergy. He explained that it’s more likely that in the three to six months after the deadline that many people will start to panic and try to migrate as quickly as possible.
The reason for this, he said, is that by nature, an operating system is not a high priority “until something goes wrong.”
“When you as a business owner are balancing sales, marketing, finances and delivering your product or service, there’s a lot going on on a daily basis,” said Bauer. “It’s sort of the old adage; the squeaky wheel gets the grease.”
Yet for companies looking to get a leg up on their competition, this may be the perfect opportunity. There are several ways that upgrading to the latest Windows Server 2012 R2 would also provide a competitive advantage, especially if done before everyone else around the July 14 deadline.
Specifically, Bauer made reference to desktop virtualization and the cloud, two options which, while available to Server 2003 users, run much better on 2012. With these options, businesses could potentially consolidate or eliminate local hardware, and even facilitate BYOD.
This is all in addition to better security, maintenance and uptime, he said.
Companies wishing for a speedier process should also consider outsourcing the work, considering IT providers can focus all of their time on the project as opposed to in-house teams that already have a lot on their plate.
Bauer estimates that Itergy is capable of doing the work in 1/3 to half the time it would take in-house.
“It’s the difference between fixing the car yourself and taking it to a specialist,” he said, referring to certain standard services that may be straightforward upgrades, whereas application and compatibility testing with specialized applications is not. “It’s not that we’re better than them, it’s that they have other jobs to do and we can dedicate the time and energy.”
For providers, those that are certified in the technology, have references, and are able to make a detailed assessment and operations plan stand to benefit the most from the opportunity.
For now, companies considering considering the switch should consider two things that will facilitate the process, namely what it is that they are running on their servers, and what they hope to accomplish, which may be different than what is capable now.
“Being a good provider to your customers means advising them to these things well in advanced, to help them plan ahead so that they’re not caught with something going wrong and they take a hit to their business, said Bauer. “Be proactive. Don’t wait until the last second.”